A leach field is an essential component of your home’s wastewater management system. It’s the last and most crucial step to filter and dispose of your wastewater safely.
Here’s everything you should know about leach fields and why you should care. We’ll also share some tips to determine if your septic system needs leach field maintenance.
Understanding Leach Fields
Leach fields, also known as drain fields, leach drains, leach lines, and filter beds, are a crucial part of every onsite wastewater management system.
The main purpose of a leach field is to treat and disperse wastewater safely into the ground. It does this after the effluent water passes through the septic tank.
A leach field disperses the wastewater in a wide area. In doing so, it effectively removes the harmful viruses, impurities, and bacteria, protecting natural groundwater and facilitating safe and natural soil filtration.
Ultimately, leach fields serve to shield the environment from contamination, keeping you and your community safe.
How Does a Leach Field Work?
A leach field works using PVC pipes buried 3 to 4 feet underground. To distribute wastewater, the lines are laid out carefully in an open area, typically your backyard.
The entire system is large. Each pipe can extend 100 feet and is placed 5 to 6 feet apart. The bigger your home and the more people who use it, the larger your leach field needs to be.
After the sewage water leaves the septic tank, it passes through the distribution box and into pipes. The pipes are perforated to allow the effluent to trickle into the soil, where microbes break it down.
In most cases, the line trenches are bedded with sand or gravel as an additional filtration. As the final product exits the pipes, it filters through the coarse material before reaching the ground.
Some homeowners also cover the drain lines with plastic septic chambers for the same purpose.
Each of your drain pipes must percolate or soak at the correct rate for the system to work as intended. Soak too quickly, and you risk contaminating the environment; too slowly, and you could flood your drain system.
Knowing your property’s percolation rate is crucial when designing a leach field. To learn yours, get your local septic company to conduct a “perc” test.
Where Is a Leach Field Located?
Leach fields are generally located underground, near or around the septic tank. Septic components are usually installed in well-draining areas away from structures, water sources, and other utility lines.
If you can’t pinpoint exactly where in your yard the leach field is, you can try checking with your building’s “as-built” drawing. Most states require these maps during construction, which detail the location of septic components, including the drain field.
Most leach field layouts are similar. However, you would want to identify the precise location, design, and scope of the drain field for future maintenance references or in cases of septic failures.
Common Leach Field Issues
A leach field, like most parts of your home, is susceptible to a range of issues. Some of the most common drain field problems you should watch out for include:
- Clogging: Unfortunately, the pipes, filters, and baffles of most leach fields get easily clogged. From shower hairs and toilet paper strips to kitchen oil and grease, too much of these everyday waste can contribute to clogging.
- Overflowing: After a few years of continued use, thick layers of sludge can block your septic tank’s baffle filters. To prevent this, have your septic tank pumped every two to three years.
- Biomatting: Biomat is the layer of bacteria and microbes that naturally forms under and around the drain field trenches. Poor maintenance causes the biomat to quickly thicken, stopping the effluent from dispersing properly into the soil.
- Flooding: There’s a limit to how much water your septic tank and leach lines can hold. Overloading it with wastewater and sewage can result in leach field flooding. It’s essential to choose the right septic tank size suitable for your household.
- Cracking: Cracks usually appear when the pipes and distribution boxes are installed improperly. Tree roots can also grow near the lines, damaging the system. Check your d-boxes and PVC pipes annually to catch cracking problems early.
Proper maintenance is key to preventing these costly headaches. Still, how you use your household’s septic system can make a huge difference, too.
As seemingly harmless as pouring grease into the drain can encourage debris buildup in the pipes. Flushing materials other than tissue and body fluids into the toilet is a definite don’t.
Avoid placing heavy objects, such as parking cars, on top of your drain field. We also recommend diverting rainwater away from your septic tank to prevent flooding.
How To Tell If a Leach Field Needs Serviced
Most leach fields last from 15 to 30 years. Maintained well, some well-built septic filter beds can even last for over 50 years.
However, even if your septic system is installed well, it’ll still need maintenance to continue functioning as intended. Debris and contaminants accumulate over time, creating a sludge that natural water flow can’t flush out.
Here are a few signs to know if your leach field needs a much-deserved servicing:
Noisy Drain
Signs of a failing drain field can start as simple as noises coming from your drains, pipes, and toilets. If you hear weird, gurgling, or bubbling sounds, it usually means there’s trapped air in the system.
These air pockets could indicate a blockage in the plumbing, either due to accumulated debris or slow drainage power, resulting in the effluent struggling to move around the pipes.
Foul Smell
A septic system that’s working normally shouldn’t produce odor. So, if you start scrunching your nose because of the smell near your drains, it may indicate something is going on with your leach field.
This happens when untreated wastewater fails to percolate, causing it to rise or linger in the septic tank.
Slow Drains
Slow drains can be difficult to notice because they happen gradually over time. Simple plumbing issues can also cause one or two drain issues.
However, if multiple drains inside your home become noticeably sluggish at roughly the same time, it may be time to have your septic system and leach field checked.
Wastewater Backing Up
Too much debris in the field lines can cause the system to stop filtering and absorbing effluent. This will fill up your septic tank quicker. And with no means to escape, the wastewater backs up through the drains.
Murky, smelly water can start gushing out of your bathtub drain, sinks, or toilet, rendering them completely unusable.
This is one of the most obvious and alarming signs of a faulty filter bed. This is a serious issue that could contaminate your drinking water and jeopardize your family’s health. Not to mention the real risk of costly property damage.
Green Grass
While many would consider lush, green grass a sign of healthy lawn soil, if it’s growing near or around your septic tank, this could point to a much stinkier problem.
Thriving grass patches on top of your leach field can be a sign of a drain field leakage or a slow percolation rate. It’s just that the untreated sewage is feeding the grass with more nutrients, making it thicker and healthier.
Standing Water
Without rain, puddles around your septic tank can mean your leach lines are clogged. Constantly moist or mushy soil may also suggest a similar underlying issue.
However, if you observe black sludge instead of water, this is a serious problem that demands prompt intervention.
The black, slimy substance oozing from under your yard is likely raw sewage, posing serious health risks. Contact your local septic specialist quickly to avoid contamination and property damage.
Final Thoughts: Finding Expert Septic Maintenance and Servicing
If your leach field fails, your household’s entire septic system fails. That’s how important they are to maintaining your home’s safety and cleanliness.
Knowing when you need septic maintenance and servicing is important to prevent costly repairs and health risks.
We provide top-notch sewer line services. Our veteran technicians can inspect, repair, and replace malfunctioning leach drains at a budget-friendly rate.
Don’t wait for the smell to turn into a massive bill. Reach out to Septic & Sewer and book an inspection today!
